What A Wonderful World
by SocialDisease609
Summary: Soulmates Color AU: In which you never see colors until you come in physical contact with your soulmate. No time travel here.. After being attacked and left for dead, an injured Dani and Grace must make their way back to HQ from their crash site, through the woods, all the while bonding romantically and avoiding terminators.
1. Chapter 1

It took three hours for them to clear the Terminator nest. They had recieved recon intel that five hours out was a small abandoned warehouse full of lower level Terminators. This model was what The Resistance compared to chess pawns, simply designed to draw fire and do first wave damage. While they weren't the highest of threats, a terminator was a terminator, and all needed to be eradicated.

Dani Ramos had become restless at her desk at headquarters, itching for a battle, itching to see the bright hue of a terminator's eyes flicker and fade out. She was told they were red. The same color as the blood that spilled from her fallen soldiers. She watched the lights fade as if it were the equivilent to watching the soul leave the vessel of a human body. But Dani would never compare the machines to humans. They could never come close to being seeing as living creatures, and she would never be moved from that.

However, Dani was drawing concern from her generals, who said she was becoming reckless, placing herself in missions that were too risky when they preferred she stayed in the public's eye. The more she became a public symbol of hope, the less she fought. She needed to stay alive and boost morale and push paperwork. But that's not why Dani started this resistance. She wanted to fight alongside everyone else, and no one was going to tell her to stand down. Besides, she needed to take her mind off of something.

She felt foolish about it, but … Dani was human and she was lonely. She often felt a pang of jealousy whenever someone in the community claimed that they had found their soulmate. She was jealous of a world of color and the unimaginable safety and comfort that came from being in a lover's arms. Not just any lover, she had had that, but a _true_ lover. Your destiny.

She wasn't in the smaller crowd, not many people found their soulmates anymore, not since Judgement Day. The odds of finding your soulmate in this age was as slim as winning the lottery in the dead age.

"Commander."

Dani almost jolted out of her daze, lost as she had been gazing upon the "corpse" of a terminator.

"Yes?" She asked, turning from the wreckage. A general stood in the doorway.

"It's time to exfil," he said. "All the soldiers are ready to start forming up."

"Good. Thank you." Was all she said. She followed the general out of the building, into the smoke and gravel ridden outside world. She quickly formulated the extraction plan, remembering that while they arrived on site with two aircrafts, one was destroyed in the fire. In total they had arrived with a squad of twenty soldiers, including her and her general. It took two pilots per craft, and there were only eight seats in the cargo area. They had lost seven soldiers in the fight. They would have to complete a second trip to extract everyone.

Outside she could see the soldiers crowding around together, punching each other in the arm or hugging festively. It was a small but great victory. An easy way to build combat experience and confidence in freshly trained troops.

"I need a volunteer!" Dani spoke out, her authority snaping the attention of everyone present to her. The soldiers scattered about in their clusters went to attention.

Dani stopped in her tracks and clasped her hands behind her back. She inspected the quiet line of her soldiers, all of them focusing on displaying discipline instead of answering her call.

"I said," she repeated, "I need a volunteer!"

She could see their eyes shift amongst each other, knowing that they were hoping someone would step up so that they wouldn't have to do whatever chore was about to come. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. She was about to open her mouth when two soldiers simultaneously stepped forward. A woman with incredibly short hair and a man with a very deep shadow of a beard coming through.

"I only need one," Dani said. "You, step back." She directed this command at the woman with the short hair, who obeyed with a crisp retreat. "You," she directed to the man, "Will accompany the bodies of our fallen soldiers back to base. "The dead should go home first, they paid a price you shouldn't argue against. Instruct the pilots of your craft to return after refilling their tanks to come for the rest of us. After you land, you must notify the morticians to organize a ceremony for our fallen soldiers, and, if you will, soldier, report to personnel to start the process of notifying their next of kin."

The soldier's face grew pale. Of course he wouldn't be the one to knock on the doors of the families, that was up to Dani and her team of officers, but to have the ball rolling for when she got there was just one thing to make that difficult task easier.

"Yes, Commander," The soldier said with a salute.

"Everyone else, let's help him collect our departed." Dani knew it was a morbid task, but this was war, and it had to be done. All she could think about at the end of a victorious battles was how she would want her loved ones brought back for an honorable burial and closure. Not to mention it, the task reminded her soldiers that this was not a game. Everyone needed a reminder of mortality and why this fight was so precious in the end.

It only took them a quarter of an hour to prepare their dead on stretchers and gently lay them on the floor of their last aircraft. Quick words of honor and gratitude were said above their corpses by Dani and any other soldier who knew the departed personally. After that, the aircraft departed and then… it was simply a waiting game. Three hours for the craft to arrive at the forward station, three hours for it to return to them. Dani ordered everyone inside to break with rations and camaraderie… well, what happiness they could have among the existing fellowship.

The soldiers kept to themselves in a corner far opposite of Dani and her general, sticking to the old time tradition of separation between enlisted and commissioned. However, it did get a little lonely, as both officers felt heart-heavy, looking upon the smiling and laughing group of the soldiers, laughing over some silly joke.

Dani got up first.

"Wha- What are you doing, Commander?" asked her General.

"I'm going to join them. Let's bond with our soldiers. It'll be good for us."

He seemed to hesitate, but stood up to follow Dani.

They approached quietly, by nature, as soldiers had to learn to move as if they didn't exist, all to be undetected by terminators out in the field. Dani could hear their conversation before they were even inside the huddled circle.

"I don't know why anyone bothers with looking for their soulmate," said one soldier. "There's too much death for that to become the norm."

"The norm?" rebutted another soldier in humored disgust. "It's _nature_. Nature doesn't stop because of war."

"But nature does evolve!" concluded the first soldier. "One day, no one will meet their soulmate, and nature will simply give up, leaving everyone to just find a partner who is good enough."

"That's kind of what everyone does now."

Dani recognized the third speaker as the woman who volunteered early, but whom she dismissed from the task.

"People pick someone who they're attracted to, and whether the reason be physical or emotional or other is subjective per case." The woman continued.

"Oh? So you've done that?" teased a fourth soldier.

"I mean, who hasn't?" the woman answered, her complexion getting in her cheeks.

"If you got to pick someone for life though, who would it be?" continued the fourth soldier, obviously in a joyous mood.

"That's hard, you can't just make people pick on the spot, there's a lot that would go into consideration."

"Please," groaned the second speaker. "Easy, hands down, I would pick Travis."

"Shit, no way, the girl who works with the quartermaster?" asked the first soldier.

"Hell yeah, have you seen that ass?"

Most of the soldiers laughed at the crude comment.

"That's how you'd pick someone?" asked the woman with short hair. "Ass alone?"

"Ass alone, that's all I need for life, baby," he responded, raising his water canteen as if giving a toast. "Like I'm gonna be doing missionary all my life."

"Who would you pick, Madison?" Another soldier asked.

"I have no one in mind," she reassured. "And if I did, I definitely wouldn't share that here."

"Why not?"

"Please," urged Missionary Man. "Don't let her fool you, she's just as shallow as the rest of us. You tease me about ass? I've seen you look around, Madison!"

Madison rolled her eyes, but smirked at the comment. Perhaps it wasn't that far from the truth.

"And your eyes don't discriminate, _Specialist Grace Madison_," the soldier continued to taunt. "In fact, if you got to pick your partner for life, it would be Commander Ramos herself." The cluster of soldiers broke out in ramble of comments, speaking over each other. Dani felt herself blush, her emotions full of flattery and violation. She realized they hadn't noticed her and her fellow officer standing just outside their circle, waiting to be recognized.

"Don't deny it, Madison!" The soldier continued to laugh. "I've seen you look! You look a lot!"

"Shut up!" Grace warned, jabbing an open palm against his armored chest. She was holding back a laugh though, Dani could tell from years of studying faces of countless soldiers. "Don't say shit like that. Not while she's…" Grace had now bothered to look around their surroundings, probably wondering if her superiors had noticed the loud squabble by now, and her eyes landed on Dani's, and widened. "...here…"

Dani's lips quirked as all the soldiers recognized her presence and shot to stand up, going to attention.

"At ease…" she said quietly, although she wished she could have summoned a more authoritative aura at the moment. "What were you all talking about?"

She knew, obviously, but she wanted to see what they would respond with. Test their courage and integrity.

"We were… we were just talking about soulmates, Commander," muttered the soldier who believed nature would evolve.

"What of it?" Dani asked, her eyebrow raising in annoyance, because one: they told just a partial truth, and two: she hated the concept of soulmates.

"Just the odds, Commander. How low they are…"

"Has anyone here found their soulmate?" Dani asked, wondering out of masked jealousy.

"No…" replied one.

"Not yet," replied Grace, chiming in. "Have… what about you, Commander?"

_Wouldn't you like to know?_ Dani thought to herself, looking upon Grace's face. She knew she couldn't keep people from looking, she knew that from before the world ended, but… Dani never really liked having to witness people talking behind her back.

"No, and probably won't," Dani replied simply. "I agree the odds are very low. Best to just find someone who can take care of mature needs instead of dreaming of fairytale destinies."

The mood instantly became heavily somber. The soldiers didn't know what to do next, or what to expect from this encounter.

"May we join you?" Dani asked after a beat. "Just until the pilots return?"

The soldiers stuttered at the request, moving out of attention to straighten the crates they were sitting on and began offering them to Dani and the other officer.

"Of course, of course," they all said at different times. Dani sat down on an offered seat and those who ended up without something to sit on took to the floor.

It started off awkward at first, but they all soon found something that they could all easily talk about: dreams of when they won the world back, funny training stories, memories of before Judgement Day, their favorite books and movies. It was easier thought to bond over the past than the present or future.

Eventually the carrier had returned, ready to carry them all back home. They all climbed aboard, situating themselves snuggly in their chairs and strapping belts on, cheering and whooping at finally being able to go home. Dani was happy to go back too. She had left the office to take her mind off of her aching heart, the longing coming and going in episodes, but just ended up running into the topic she was running away from.

Dani had lost track of time after they had taken off, deep in her mind doing mental cleanup, when she heard a panicked murmur from one of her pilots.

"What's wrong?" she asked, leaning over his chair.

"Something has locked onto us," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm gonna try to shake the missile, but I doubt it'll be easy. Everyone needs too-"

"Got it," Dani reassured, not needing him to finish his sentence. "Everyone,"she shouted down the belly of the plane. "Shake tactic. If you're not secure in your seat, do so now!"

The small talk happening in the plane died instantly as a wave of fear and professionalism crashed through, everyone tugging their belts to test their integrity. Strapping herself in as well, she prayed out of old habit to her higher power, hearing the whistle of a missile approach.

"Hold on!" Was all the pilot said before a side of the plane ruptured in fire and splinters and shards. Dani gasped out of survival instinct, taking in air as if she was going down into the sea, but only smoke filled her lungs instead of life-saving air.

Then she could feel her surroundings begin to spin, and she couldn't tell if they were losing control or if the pilot was trying to shake off a second missile. Her mind spun with her body, trying to figure out if the intel reports mentioned an anti-aircraft outpost in their planned path, but she couldn't recall any facts now. Then her mind flooded her with images of Diego and Papi, long before Judgement Day, their smiles, their hugs, their laughs… and then everything went black.

Dani gasped dramatically as she came to, as if she were brought back through necromancy and took her first breath back from the dead. Alive again after what should have taken her out of this miserable world.

Her eyes frantically searched her surroundings, and she could immediately recognize that she was in the wreckage of her plane. She was lying on her back on the floor of the plane. Somehow, she had come out of her seat belt. She turned her head to the left and right, seeing nothing but bodies around her. Everyone else had been shaken from their seats in the blast too. Perhaps the explosion of the crash had destroyed their seats and set them all free. One soldier was for sure gone into the afterlife, a metal shard protruding from his helmet.

Dani tried to stand up, but a pain radiated through her right ankle, burning through her nervous system like an electric current. She reached out to soothe it, rubbing the ankle through her combat book delicately, looking for signs of breakage. She winced at the pain, hoping it was nothing more than a bad sprain. Not wanting to push the injury further, she sat up and dragged herself backwards, making her way from soldier to soldier to see if anyone else was alive. Her general was gone, blood crusting the crown of his head.

Then she tried another soldier, and another, then-

A harrowing gasp sent shivers through Dani's body.

"Hello?" she asked, "Who's alive?"

She wanted to turn around quickly, but didn't know the limits of her injured ankle, so she moved slowly.

A soldier was writing on the floor by the pilots, who were also, gone to the next world. The soldier groaned in a heartbreaking cry, and Grace wondered what horrific injury they suffered from.

"I'm coming," Dani said hurriedly. "Hold on, stay strong, soldier, I'm coming. Hold on for me."

"Help…." the soldier moaned.

"I'm coming…" Dani dragged herself to the soldier, situated beside them.

It was Specialist Madison.

A small, immature part of Dani wanted to hold back all her care from this soldier, purely from that past conversation she practically eavesdropped on, but knew better. She was young, and right now, no comment was worth holding out on a fellow soldier.

"I'm right here," Dani said softly, "I'm gonna make you all better."

Grace, who had been squinting her eyes tight in pain finally opened them wide enough to register Dani beside her.

"Commander…" she groaned. "I'll… I'll be okay…"

Dani's eyes looked down Grace's body, looking for the injury. When she found it, she failed to hide her horror. A small sheet of metal had torn in the crash and pushed right through the one exposed spot of Grace's kevlar chest armor, right above the hip. _What luck_. Dani wondered how deep the piece went, so she slowly rolled Grace aside just a few inches to see if there was an exit wound. It had made its way through her, but just a small tip protruded through her.

"It's okay, Commander," Grace continued, her voice shaking, speaking through her teeth as she tried to grit through the pain.

"You're…" to be honest, Dani knew she wasn't equipped to treat this wound, and to make matters worse, when she looked towards the pilot's seat, the first aid kid that was normally stored there was nowhere to be seen. She wondered where it had shaken to.

Grace screamed behind her teeth as her abdomen spasmed, her body not knowing what to do.

"You'll be okay, Madison," Dani said. "Everything's going to be okay."

Grace blinked, tears forming in her eyes. "I just wish… I just wish it didn't hurt so bad." Her voice was deep with the attempt of swallowing pain, but Dani could tell she was suffering greatly.

"Don't pretend just because you're in front of me," Dani sympathized. "If it hurts, then express it. It's better for you, don't waste your energy on suppressing yourself. That robs your body of any energy it could use to help keep you alive."

Grace's hand made its way to the piece of metal sticking out of her.

"No!" Dani swatted Grace's hand away, but it was too late, Grace would be able to gauge the severity now.

She shook her head. "I'm not making it, Commander. Don't lie to me… it's okay to tell me the truth. Just… send me off."

Dani looked upon her soldier, her heart plummeting. "Don't leave me alone here, Madison. I need your help."

"I can't help you anymore," Grace shut her eyes tightly, and then groaned deeply. "Please, just… send me off."

Dani reached out for Grace's hand, holding it like the chaplains would in the hospitals and then closed her eyes.

"You fought bravely, Grace Madison," she began, not wanting to open her eyes. She couldn't make eye contact right now, she would be weeping before she finished her sentence. "The Resistance would not have made it this far without you and your sacrifice. Everything you did, even leading up to this moment, has brought humanity so much closer to victory. Your death will not go in vain…" Grace tightened their grip, but Dani kept her eyes closed, tighter this time, knowing that this soldier was coming to terms with the word _death_, "We will win, that is the ending that you have given us."

Grace's breath was shaky, but more relaxed.

Nervously, Dani opened an eye, curious if the soldier was now passing. She wondered if this situation had moved her more emotionally than she anticipated, as her vision felt weird. It was incredibly blurry, so she blinked rapidly, trying to bring her vision to focus. Maybe she had a concussion? With enough blinks, her vision began to clear up, and she took a sigh of relief when it felt normal. The rubble seemed clearer however, all the shades of grey seeming on a larger palette. It fascinated her.

"Oh my god…"

Dani turned her attention back to Grace, horrified that the soldier was still clinging to life. And that's when she noticed. Grace's hair… her eyes… the blood on coming down from her hairline.

The colors began to bleed into focus like watercolor paint on paper.

Dani's heart beat wildly, her mind struggling to comprehend this truth in a panic.

"You can't be…" Dani whispered. She dropped Grace's hand, fumbling now at the wound at Grace's side. She couldn't- she couldn't let her go. She couldn't. She couldn't. Not now. Not now after finally finding what had caused her so much pain all these years.

"I'm…" Grace was incredibly weak now, and Dani was entranced by the crimson pool underneath Grace's body.

"Stay with me, Grace!" Dani shouted frantically. "Stay with me!"

"Com… commander…"

"Please," Dani pleaded, searching through everything within arms reach for the first aid kit. "Don't go, Grace. Don't go!"

"I…"

A white metal tin with a red cross finally stood out underneath the lifeless form of the man who joked so freely about picking partners just hours before.

"Grace!" Dani began to drag her body in the direction of the kit. "Hold on! Hold on!"

She dragged herself to the tin with surprising speed and strength, ripping it from under the dead weight. Dani then realized there was no response. She snapped around, wincing at the pain she brought to her ankle.

"Grace? Grace?!"

Her soldier, her _soulmate_, said nothing in return, only laid on the ground silent, her eyes closed peacefully.

Dani frantically pulled herself to Grace's side and ripped open the kit.

She couldn't let death take her away.


	2. Chapter 2

Grace didn't know how long it had been since she had passed out, but she figured it couldn't have been long, because when she opened her eyes again, stiffly shifting in a sitting position, she was still in the plane wreckage and Commander Ramos was kneeling in front of her, deep brown eyes scanning her face. Grace could see the black soot of the debris spotted about her Commander's rich complexion.

Grace shivered an exhale, and she didn't think it was from been weakened by her wound.

"Grace?" Commander Ramos asked, worry laced in her voice.

Grace blinked, recognizing the heavy effect of drugs as her eyelids fluttered with weight.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy, Commander," Grace answered, working hard not to slur.

"Too sleepy? What about pain? Can you feel anything?"

"No pain," Grace shook her head slowly.

"I may have given you too much of the painkiller," Ramos frowned. "There was a little manual," she reached into a pocket on her chest, pulling out a tiny red booklet, "that gave basic instructions on what to do for the most common types of battle injuries, so I just followed that… I have stopped the bleeding and closed the wound."

"Thank you," Grace smiled, grateful and a little blissfully high.

The Commander nodded, looking away now, but her body still knelt close beside Grace. "We need to get out of here…" she then said, "I suspect there will be terminators coming to inspect the crash site, looking for survivors. It's just… gonna be a little bit of a challenge getting out."

Grace tried to shift, wanting to move her legs so she could stand up, but Ramos reached a stiff palm out to stop her.

"Are you sure you can get up? You have lost a lot of blood."

"I will tough it out, Commander. We gotta get out, like you said." Grace grunted as she slowly rose to her feet, staying slightly hunched. Instinctually, she placed a hand over the wound. Through the unprotected portion of her kevlar, she could feel the gauze patch her leader had taped over the wound.

Those brown eyes watched her stand, tentatively, and an eyebrow raised slightly as if preparing to argue.

"Move slowly," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am…"

Grace knew Commander Ramos had to be thinking it, but why hadn't she said something about it? She looked down at her soulmate, who spoke no word of their newly discovered bond, who now slowly pushed herself up on her own feet. Grace's eyes dropped to the ground, and noticed that Ramos's right foot had the sturdy splints of an aircast poking out of her combat boot.

"That kit must have been a gold mine!" Grace laughed weakly, trying to fill the air with small talk.

"Yes, it has everything in the event of a disaster, from a thermal blanket, rope, flares, water purifying tablets, flint, and 5 days worth of rations for a single person… we will have to split meals on our journey back to base."

_And the blanket_, Grace thought. There was no way they were going to make it back to base by the end of the night in their state. Five hours via flight did not equal the same time by foot. Especially on injured foot.

"Do you know which way we need to go, Commander?"

"Yes," Ramos nodded. "I always keep a paper map on my person when I go on missions. While you were resting after receiving my treatment I looked over it. We need to head west."

"Got it," Grace leaned down for the tin first aid kit, and winced.

"Put it down," the Commander warned.

Fear shivered through Grace, a habitual response from receiving a stern order from any officer. "Yes ma'am," she said, and dropped it instantly, the metal box clanking as it hit the rubble of the plane.

Ramos limped over and reached down to pick it up herself.

"Let me help with something," Grace almost pleaded. She didn't like being useless.

"You need to heal. Take a weapon, but sling it behind you. I will take point."

"With a box in one hand?" Grace didn't mean to sound _that_ annoyed, but now that it was said, there really was no better way to get the point across.

The Commander turned cautiously, careful not to put too much weight on her bad foot.

"_Fine_," was all she said, and handed the kit out for Grace to take. The woman then pulled two rifles off of their fallen comrades, and while she did so, Grace took the opportunity to peek at the new colors around her.

It was interesting. The plane was still black and grey, the damaged seats were black as well. The combat boots- black. Their uniform- black. It was interesting that everything that was dreadful remained just like it had been her whole life: drained, lifeless. Funny how it seemed, as she looked around, that only what was most important was in color: the first aid kit and her soulmate. She knew it was just a coincidence though, and was childishly eager to see the outside world. To see trees and grass and all the kinds of birds and bodies of water and the rare fruit that was born on the last living plant life.

Ramos handed a rifle over, which Grace took delicately, draping the strap around herself and slinging the weapon to rest behind her.

"Let's go," the Commander said sternly. She turned to lead the way, walking cautiously, putting good force on her capable foot, but a light graze with her injured one.

"Yes ma'am," Grace replied.

"Grace?"

Grace's attention perked. "Yes, Commander?"

"Just… call me Dani, okay?"

_There we go_, Grace smiled to herself. But now was not the time to press about who they now were to each other. Grace could tell _Dani_ would need to feel safe and evacuated first before they would get to talk.

"Okay, Dani."

Dani reached out for the emergency hatch and yanked the door open, fresh air and sharp beams of sunset rushed inside the belly of the fallen craft. Both Dani and Grace stood paralyzed.

They had seen nature before, in it's multitude of grayscale, and they had heard all about the beauty of fall from others, but they weren't ready for the fact that fall leaves were indescribable, and with this cascading lighting, how could they not be stopped by their beauty?

"Do you…?" Dani asked, not turning to ask the question. Grace could feel the tension radiating of the short woman.

"I do," Grace assured, "I do see them. The colors. They're beautiful."

_And we can see them because you had the heart to hold my hand._

When Dani reached out to grip Grace's hand, even Grace herself believed she was going to die. Her eyes fluttered from the weakness of bloodloss and the spasms in her muscles were to painful she felt she was going to pass out- but her war-addled mind told her that was just her mind trying to make things easier: tell her she's just gonna blackout, but really, she was just going to close her eyes for the last time. But after one last spasm, making her eyes shut tight with tension, she decided to take one last gaze upon the world before she passed. There was no world to look at though, just Dani, kneeling and gripping their hands together fiercely, as if in passionate prayer. Her face began to blend into a smooth tan and her lips became painted with a natural deep hue of pink. Her cheeks, underneath the soot, were bright from exertion and adrenaline. Grace heard herself mutter "_Oh my God_," scorned at the realization that the person she was meant for had been in her life for years, but never got to find her due to damn military protocol on keeping enlisted and officers separated. Now, as she lay dying, she got one big last fuck you from this cruel machine of a world.

"I kind of don't mind having to walk through this now," Grace said, trying to lighten the mood.

Dani made no comment, just began to move forward.

"So do you think scouts will be sent out for the black box?" Grace decided to ask. Maybe Dani still wasn't ready to talk about this just yet. _Stick to familiarities..._

"I hope not," Dani answered, walking with a hiss each time her right foot dragged with just a little bit of pressure. "I know it will help them get a radius of where we may be, but if they show up, they may arrive during a terminator's search, and that will be more blood on my hands."

_Oh._ Grace understood now. She couldn't blame her for not taking any further interest in her immediately upon her waking.

"It's not your fault, Dani, no one knew there would be any anti-air defenses. They weren't there bef-"

"It is my fault," Dani cut with a seethe, and Grace wasn't sure if it was from the pain in her foot this time. "If I had sent survivors first, it would just be… there would have been less deaths."

"But Dani-"

"I got _an entire_ squad killed!" Dani turned around quick, forgetting about her injury in just that moment, but then toppled onto her knees when the pain struck her. Grace dropped down on one knee, wanting to have caught her, but her own injury held her back as well, so she just settled to speaking on an even level with Dani.

"It's okay," Grace soothed. She gripped Dani's shoulder, gently rubbing it. Dani probably couldn't feel much, thanks to her light kevlar armor, but it was the thought that counted. "No one is going to blame you, no one is going to say you failed in planning or giving orders or protecting us. The blood is always on the terminators' hands. _Always_. And we're gonna get those fuckers, okay?"

Dani was refusing to look in Grace's eyes, but the soldier could see the shimmer in her leader's eyes. _It's okay to cry, too,_ she wanted to say, but knew that wasn't always a winner in motivating people.

"Come on, Dani," Grace urged softly. "Let me help you up, we need to set up shelter before the sun is fully set."

Dani nodded vigorously, holding a hand out for Grace to take, both of them getting up cautiously and in pain.

"Is it broken?" Grace asked out of curiosity, eyeing Dani's limp as she followed behind her.

"I hope not," Dani replied. "I'm praying for just a sprain."

"Do it throb?"

Dani nodded firmly. "Really bad."

"Are there any pain meds left?"

"The kit only had an intravenous supply, which I gave the majority of to you. There's only one needle left. I'm saving it for something even worse than what you've got."

"I think the only thing worse than what happened to me is what we both thought was gonna happen to me: death. Please, Dani, when we get a camp going, relieve your pain."

"I'm saving it," she repeated.

Grace frowned. Selfishly, she just wanted Dani to relax. The universe wanted them together, and Dani didn't necessarily seem eager to bond, not even with small talk.

They trekked through the woods silently for a good half hour, keeping stoic, but internally enjoying the sound of crunching leaves beneath their boots, and looking at the sky evolve from orange to pink to purple. Night was coming, and they hadn't found anything with suitable coverage yet.

"We might," Dani took a breath before continuing. "We might have to just sleep next to a tree. They both were shining in sweat, as a normal hike because arduous on their injured forms, taking energy away from their bodies that were desperately trying to heal. Dani grimaced at her plan. "There's… there's nowhere to really go."

Grace nodded. The odds were not favorable, but they had no choice but to make due.

"We'll use the leaves to not only help insolate our heat as we sleep, but to also hopefully camouflage us." Dani put her hands on her hips, looking down at her foot, pain strewn across her face."I just… I can't walk anymore."

"Lay down, Dani," Grace said, gripping her own wound, which also wasn't happy with the nature hike it endured. For a moment Grace was anxious Dani would find comfort in her military persona once more and becoming offended that she had the audacity to give her instructions. However, the officer's wrath never crashed down, and Grace saw Dani picking a sturdy and wide tree trunk to sit down against, pulling the thermal blanket out of the first aid kit before practically squirming to lay down.

She looked ready for bed. It was endearing.

Hunching her way over, Grace dragged the first aid kit to Dani's feet. She could feel the Commander watch her curiously.

"Foot up," she instructed warmly. "You need to keep it elevated, and it seems the only treatment that foot's gonna get is when we're sleeping."

Dani obeyed, cautiously raising her leg to place her ankle on the kit. Then, with a ridiculously slow decline, Grace joined Dani's side, getting as close as she could for practical warmth, but not too invasive. Being soulmates didn't mean she had the right to Dani's body or personal space whenever she wanted it. Dani was already working on unfolding the thermal blanket, so Grace worked on scooping leaves close to them without disturbing the illusion of naturally fallen leaves. it was a good thing there were piles upon piles within arms reach. After Dani had covered Grace with her share of the blanket, the soldier began dispersing the leaves on top of them, covering their bodies heartily, but leaving their heads exposed, just pillowed with the leaves.

She sensed Dani stiffen for a moment, and looked over to her.

"The pain?" she asked.

Dani whispered a "yes", biting her lip. "It comes and goes."

"Well you let me know if you want the meds, it's okay," Grace offered.

Dani shook her head, moving on from the topic: "Tomorrow, we continue north, but we _must _find water. There is a river halfway between the nest we destroyed and our forward station. We're bound to hit it."

"Yes we will," Grace affirmed for the both of them. "Everything is going to be okay."

Dani nodded, looking up through the canopy of the woods, gazing at the now deep indigo sky peppered with bright white stars.

"It's so similar but so much… more than the black night sky," the Commander commented.

"Yes," Grace agreed. "I noticed some similar things earlier too. But they don't bother me. It's beautiful, this world…" Grace felt a burning blush spread on her cheeks. "With you in it…"

Dani said nothing, and Grace figured she would have to get used to this. After all, perhaps silence was better than outright rejection.

Who would have known? Terminator-slaying, war hero Commander Ramos, the shyest person left on the planet.


	3. Chapter 3

Dani didn't sleep well at all. She constantly woke up from any twitching sound in the woods, and her ankle went through episodes of painful spasms. The only way she could describe it was that it felt like it was now slowly breaking in half. Grace on the other hand didn't seem to stir at all that night, completely still and heavy.

Dani studied Grace's face as she slept,lit by the moon when the clouds would pass, thinking about the troublesome journey from the crash site. Grace had good intentions trying to lighten the mood, but Dani could feel her emotions take a defensive stance.

Even though she had begun to hate the concept of soulmates, isn't this what she always wanted? To find her destiny among this desolate world? There was no comfort here, and in the most recent years, Dani had begun to lose the spark she had when she started this whole rebellion. All she wanted now was to just rest and never come back, swallowed into a deep depression, unable to get out of its waves. But here was fate, sleeping right next to her. Dani hated fate… but she knew she _couldn't _hate Grace. Grace and The Powers That Be were different entities, and Grace didn't deserve Dani's disdain for fate.

Maybe Fate was having a laugh again, bringing Grace into her life at this moment. So many ups and downs, and she guessed it was the "balance of the universe". First the world ended, but she had her family. Then Diego and Papi were murdered by terminators. Then Dani found a band of survivors to hitchhike with, only for them to start stealing and hurting each other. After that, Dani had enough and killed her first terminator, the victory flooding her veins with adrenaline and hope. She created the rebellion. And that first year was probably the best she felt since before Judgement Day. But that was many years ago, and while ground was gained, it was also lost. An endless cycle of the same shit everyday. No real goal actually being achieved. Now, she had a small battle where her squad could gather their fragile morale, only for them all to die. Then she found her soulmate… what bad luck was coming next to balance this out?

She thought about how horrible she had been feeling inside, and an ounce of what remained of her soul rejoiced at the future possibilities of having Grace now. Maybe it was hope slowly growing. Hope that she wouldn't feel so dead and hurt anymore… she'd feel better and happy again.

_Happiness…_

Dani's quizzical journey came to an end as another spasm wreaked havoc on her poor ankle. She couldn't stop crying out, no matter how hard she grit her teeth. The pain was too much. It echoed through the empty woods.

"Dani," pleaded a sleepy voice. Grace shifted beside her, trying to sit up. "Dani, take the medicine, please."

"Go back to sleep," Dani growled, her teeth still clenched tight as the spasm ceased to release her muscle. She threw her head back, groaning.

"Dani," Grace repeated again.

Dani let out a trembled gasps, her body finally relaxing as the spell left. "It's over," she whispered to more to herself.

"Has it been happening all night?" Grace asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes," Dani shivered, enjoying the relief.

"We should do something about it."

"There's nothing to do but give it rest, really," Dani said, keeping her voice low.

Grace thought for a moment, then suggested, "Then you're gonna rest. We won't leave when the sun rises. We probably won't travel at all tomorrow. We will keep your foot up."

Dani's eyes widened. "Are you out of your mind? We are really only about… an hour or less out of our crash site and you want to stay here when the day comes? The first 24 hours you want to put the most distance between yourself and a hostile zone."

Grace shrugged. "Guess we can leave a few hours before sunset, but all of the morning and all of noon, you are resting. No question."

"You don't really get to have the final say," Dani pursed her lips.

"There's no rank in this situation, Dani. We gotta survive, and we're not gonna make it if you further injure yourself. And even if you closed my wound, I can't exert myself too much, either. All I'm asking for is half a day, Dani. We can relocate if you want, but actual travel? Not happening."

Dani looked away and shook her head. Grace was right, and she felt immature for not liking it. It's just that… she didn't know what to do. About Grace. This just wasn't the right time, and she wasn't in the right mood.

"We can look for water, because we'll need it, but we should take care of ourselves. Our bodies will thank us."

"Fine," Dani said. She was looking away still, but then got distracted by the stars again, swearing to god one was a faded shade of red. She read somewhere before planets could be seen in the night sky, but never got to see that when she had her previous vision. And then-

"Shit, Dani, are you okay?"

Another cramp seized her ankle and she shut her eyes tight, leaves crunching in her fists, moaning through it.

"Dani-"

"No!" She grunted, knowing exactly what Grace was going to say, then resumed to grit her teeth through the pain. She wasn't going to use the medicine, something worse was gonna happen, it always did. They needed to keep it.

"Fine," Grace surrendered.

Dani thought she had won and could suffer in peace when she felt Grace's hand place over her fist.

"Hold my hand then, until it passes."

_What?!_ Dani couldn't speak, all her energy needed to be focused on the pain.

"You won't break my hand or anything, it's okay. It'll pass easier if you take it out on something besides yourself."

"And hurt you?" Dani questioned on a fragile breath.

"I'll be okay," Grace said gently. Dani relaxed her fist just for the moment needed for Grace to put her hand in hers, then as the electric pain shot it's way through her muscle again, Dani's hand clasped instantly.

Grace hissed.

"I'm sorry," Dani muttered, about to relax her grasp.

"No, don't let go," Grace said. "Don't mind me."

"This is ridiculous," Dani seethed. "Why does it hurt so much?"

"Might be more than a sprain," Grace suggested. "Do you mind if I have a look?"

"What?"

"I'm just gonna have a look, I won't apply any pressure, don't worry. Just going to feel for where the most heat and swelling is."

"If it hurts-"

"I'll stop," Grace reassured gently, returning a squeeze to their clasped hands. Dani let out a controlled breath and nodded, releasing her hold of Grace.

Just in that moment, the pain subsided with a wash of relief. Dani prayed another spasm wouldn't be on it's way. She watched Grace leave the nest of leaves they were snuggled into, frowning at the immediate decrease of warmth. The tall woman kneeled by Dani's propped foot, brushing some of the leaves away.

"Hey, Dani? Toss me that little red book you've got?"

Dani dug into her chest pocket and pulled it out, flinging it carefully to Grace, who caught it with both hands, clapping the flapping pages together like squashing a gnat.

"I'm gonna hold your foot up for a second," she warned, and Dani braced for oncoming discomfort. However, Grace elevated her so slowly, and from her calf muscle, that she didn't feel any pain. The soldier held her leg up with one hand as the other hand dug through the first aid kit, it's contents clinking around through Grace's rigorous search. Dani wanted to warn her to be more quiet, but she felt she should bite her tongue, letting the soldier continue her kind gesture of helping.

"Hey, Dani?" Grace said again.

"Do you approve what goes in these things?"

"In a way, but I delegated that to the Health Office."

"Well when we get back, tell them to add a fucking flashlight to the inventory," Grace muttered.

Dani chuckled, surprising even herself.

"What kind of survival kit doesn't have a flashlight?" Grace continued, smiling now herself. She closed the tin box and put Dani's foot down again, as gently as she could. "I used to go camping with my parents, and it was _full camping_. My dad wanted to teach me everything: knots, traps, safe to eat plants, how to fish, how to avoid predators, how to make a fire. During one particular time, my dad wanted to go all out and bought a survival kit that came with almost everything that came in here- minus the good drugs- and that thing had two flashlights and those glowstick things you crack. Our military?" Grace tsked, "We gotta do better, Dani." Grace said this with a lightheart and a faux smirk.

"I'll add that to my list when we get back," Dani scoffed with the same light energy.

Grace's smile didn't leave her lips as she began working on untying Dani's boot. She pulled the black laces up in a long draw, the strings hanging in wide loops from the eyelets, making her way down to the bottom of the tongue.

"Pulling it off now. This may sting, but tough it out for me, okay?" Grace said softly. "I've loosened it up as much as I can, just keep your leg up."

Dani simply nodded, watching Grace get a good grip on the boot, and began a gentle tug. She was moving at a good speed, the boot sliding past the fabric of the combat sock effortlessly, but her foot still screamed at the dragging sensation.

"Great, Dani, good job," Grace began working on the air cast, loosening the straps and sliding it off Dani's foot. "Now the sock, okay?"

Dani sighed and threw her head back, getting ready for the dragging once again. Grace's fingers slipped under the band of the sock and she gently rolled it down, pulling off the sock in a clean motion.

"Come on, moon," Grace whispered, waiting for the clouds to clear away from the moon. When the moonlight came throw, bringing the bright white beams through the bare fog of the night, Grace inspected the ankle.

Dani grimaced as she saw the color herself. The area of her ankle was completely purple and swollen. It was worse than she thought. Grace put Dani's foot on the tin kit again. She hovered her hands on either side of Dani's ankle, barely touching. Dani could feel how cool Grace's fingers were just from the mere graze in comparison to the heat radiating off her foot. Grace held her delicately, a hand sliding down the injured limb slowly, chilling the overheated area unintentionally, but to Dani's silent pleasure. Her fingers explored cautiously, careful not to press. While Dani was distraught over her injury, a small sliver of her was grateful for it, because if Grace had touched her without an injury, she probably would have involuntarily kicked her like a rabbit. She was ridiculously ticklish, but now her body couldn't register any overwhelming pleasure on sensitive skin.

"Could be a really bad tear, Dani," Grace sighed honestly. "I am gonna have to _really_ emphasize that we don't travel at least for half the day. I'll like… find you a walking stick or something."

Dani laughed through the pain of Grace replacing the sock and aircast.

"Let's keep the boot off though, okay? Let it breathe."

Grace now made her way back to their leaves and thermal blanket cocoon, moving just the right distance close to Dani without overstepping an unspoken line. Dani found herself happy for Grace's return.

"We'll do our best to sleep, but if you need me again, don't feel bad about waking me up, okay? We're in this together."

Dani nodded, not wanting to comment on that. She couldn't. She wished Grace would stop with the implications… even if she didn't mean them, Dani couldn't handle this right now.

_But in this world, when would be the right time?_

Dani shook the thought away and closed her eyes to try and sleep.

When they woke up in the morning, Dani's first action was to check her watch, reading 0939. They slept in too late. She shifted around to tap Grace awake.

The blonde grumbled, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.

"How's your foot? How did you sleep?" was the first thing she asked. Instantly Dani realized she had slept soundly after Grace helped her remove her boot.

"I slept better, thank you. There's no pain at the moment."

"I think the night air really helped you out, since we lack a cool compress," Grace explained, groggily removing herself from their makeshift bed. "When we find water, we'll make a cooling rag for you, dip it in that freezing water."

Dani would not reject that. Now that Grace mentioned it, she'd have to add compresses to the list of things that kit should have.

Grace motioned for Dani to lift her foot off the kit for a second, eyes squinting with tiredness. She reached into the tin and pulled out a ration bag, then motioned for Dani to put her foot back down once she closed the lid. She then walked to Dani's other side, not where she slept beside her, and knelt, trying to open the ration.

"I'm gonna get another one here in a second," Grace said, having to use her teeth to tear the bag. "Didn't know why I didn't take two, guess I'm too groggy."

She was, and it strangely suited her. Dani watched Grace, all shaggy blonde hair, married with strands of light brown, tossed around into a bed head, her blue eyes peeking from her squint, shying away from the sunlight.

Grace finally reached into the bag and pulled out the accessories pouch, pulling out a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste. "There you go, Dani," Grace handed it out. "I'm gonna get me one from another pouch. I know we don't have any water, but we gotta make do."

They washed up best they could before going through the meal kit Grace randomly selected. It was simple: two protein bars, a pouch of dried cranberries mixed with almonds, a pouch of applesauce, and a packet of coffee.

They ate in silence at first, letting themselves marvel at their newfound colors again, seeing the food they ate all the time look much more different.

"I feel so stupid," Grace laughed, breaking the silence. Dani looked up from inspecting the dark red shrivelled cranberries in her palm to pay attention. "I'm like 'wow, a protein bar!'" Grace mocked her own excitement before biting into the bar, tearing it with her mouth like it was some stiff jerky.

Dani chucked. "Everything's new," she said, "don't let yourself not enjoy it."

Grace's eyes squinted in curiosity, probably piqued at this one possibly positive comment. She opened her mouth, ready to say something in return, when Dani put her hand up.

It wasn't necessarily because she was afraid to have this conversation, but because she heard something. When Dani didn't move her body, but her eyes scanned the perimeter, Grace caught on. Both women didn't move, their ears tuning to anything they could catch. Perhaps Dani was wrong, maybe it was a deer or something…

Her heart began to pound, waiting to hear the sound again. The sound of a machine, it's internal engine making that telltale whirring noise as it's limbs moved. Slowly, Grace got up from her spot, making her way to the guns they rested on the other side of the tree trunk. Dani remained in cover, waiting for Grace to return with the arms. But it was too fast-

Dani's fear was realized as a terminator appeared, quickly rushing Grace, flingling the rifles from her hands, tackling her to the ground.

"Grace!" Dani shouted, her heart picking up dangerously and adrenaline broke through her nervous system. She stood up. Pain shot from her foot all the way up to her neck. But she had to push through that. Grace was wriggling on the ground, crisp leaves crunching and scattering underneath her, her feet kicking and her hands working on the terminator's, which was trying to crush her throat. A battle roar emerged from Grace as she did all she could to keep the metal fingers from closing, but all she could do was buy herself time.

_Why is there only one? _Dani asked to herself, stumbling to pick up one of the rifles Grace had dropped. Dani shouldered it with expertise, taking aim. It was risky, but Dani never really missed her shot these days, and the right angle…

She pulled the trigger, the weapon blazing automatic fire, the bullets shredding the exoskeleton like sheet metal. The machine however, looked over to Dani for a brief second, and the red light- what had once just been a hue of light now brought menace to a color she was just admiring not too long ago. A sensation of fear shivered in her knees for just a moment before she continued fire. The Machine looked down at Grace, scanning her body. Both women knew what it was doing. It released one hand from Grace's next, raising it as a fist in the air, more than likely locking on her abdominal injury.

"Hell no, mothherfucker!" Dani shouted, changing her aim to fire upon it's skull. The bullets pinged off it's skull, a few succeeding in penetrating the weakening metal. It dropped its attack and looked at Dani, inspecting her now too. It then got up, leaving Grace on the ground, making a charge for Dani.

"Dani, move!" Grace rasped.

Dani knew she wouldn't be fast enough to dodge, not with this foot, and the terminator knew it. It saw it. It ripped the rifle from her arms and flung it aside. Dani could hear Grace scramble about as the machine continued its advance, pushing Dani hard in the chest, causing her to fall.

"Daniela Ramos, Commander of Human Resistance…" it registered in its dead voice. Dani was about to scramble away from it, but in pure violent fashion, the terminator lifted it's leg, and brought its metal foot down on Dani's ankle.

Dani's vision went out to white light, and she screamed dreadfully, a sob rising in her chest. Searing hot white pain burned through her foot as the machine added more pressure, waiting for it, waiting for it- there it was, a definitive crack, crunching the bone underneath it's mechanical weight.

She could hear Grace calling her name out repeatedly, but she couldn't respond. Her mouth stayed open from her initial scream, full of so much pain but not enough strength in her vocal chords to express it. Eventually the ending point of a moan made it's way from her throat, tears, sliding down her cheeks.

She didn't really notice when the terminator was no longer crushing her foot, or when Grace had regained a weapon, firing with a heavy finger, until the terminator lay unresponsive on the fall covered ground, the red eyes watching Dani cry out all the while, finally going out to black.


End file.
